Knights roster set for 2026 campaign

Tuesday, April 21, Corvallis, Ore. – The roster is set for 2026 edition of the Corvallis Knights, who are primed for their 19^th summer of action at Goss Stadium.

The Knights begin their quest for their 11^th West Coast League championship on May 29^th in the opener of a three-game series at Kamloops, British Columbia. It is the first of 54 WCL contests for the Knights, who’ve lost to the Portland Pickles in the last two South Division championship games, one step short of the WCL’s title matchup.

“The 2026 roster looks to be full of athleticism across the board,” coach Brooke Knight said. “Our philosophy continues to lean into athletes that can run and defend and this year’s group looks to meet those standards.”

Knight enters his 18^th season at the helm as the winningest coach in league history (760-307, .712).  The eight-time WCL Coach of the Year has directed the Knights to 10 WCL championships and to the Championship Series in 14 of his 17 seasons.

His coaching staff returns intact. Associate head coach/pitching coach Beau Kerns returns for his sixth summer with the club. Assistant coach Spencer Scott, a noted alum from the University of Portland who played for the 2021 and 2022 championship seasons, is back for his second summer.

Seven returnees from a 2025 team that went a sparking 39-15 in the WCL will provide a solid nucleus of leadership.

They are left-handed pitchers Quin Dufort (Portland) and Mac Zawistoski (Eastern Illinois); catcher Xavier Rios (Cal State Northridge); infielders Maverek Russell (UCLA), Gavin Brubaker (NW Nazarene) and Brooks Avery (Portland), and outfielder Kellen Segel (Linn-Benton CC).

Zawistoski, a rising senior, was a mainstay in the 2025 bullpen, with 14 appearances. He was 2-2 with a sparkling 1.02 ERA, and 24 strikeouts in 26.1 innings and earned second-team all-WCL honors. Dufort and Segel pitched sparingly, as they were mainly position players.

Top projected right-handers on the 2026 staff are Josh Janniccelli (UC Santa Barbara) and Corden Pettey (Cal Poly). Both have performed masterfully in the Big West as freshmen for the Gauchos and Mustangs, respectively.

Sophomore Matthew Kosderka (Lower Columbia College) is a candidate to close. He pitched for the Marion Berries in 2025 and holds the Red Devils career record for saves.

Junior righty Matthew Sherwood (Pacific Lutheran) was the Northwest Conference Pitcher of the Year in 2025 and is the ace of the Lutes.

Bryce Hill is regarded as one of Stanford’s top incoming freshmen and Nebraska is expecting big things out of Blake Sebastian after redshirting this spring.

Sophomore right-hander Nick Saelens (Pacific, Ore) has garnered Northwest Conference Pitcher of the Week honors three times this season for the Boxers.

Sophomore Camden Hartsell (Umpqua CC) and frosh Mark Carpenter (Linn-Benton CC) have put up excellent numbers in the NWAC.

Lefty prospects are freshmen Trey Morris (Oregon State) and Caleb Sweeney (LMU). Morris has been a key contributor to the Beavers outstanding spring.

Rios anchors a solid backstop corps; he hit .252 with three homers and 20 RBIs in 35 games last summer and started in the WCL All-Star Game. Also catching are Dakota Chun (Portland), Jeremiah Robbins (Umpqua CC) and incoming OSU freshman Teagan Scott. All are exceptional defensive catchers.

Chun won an OSAA 6A state championship last spring with Sunset High School. He is the starting catcher for the Pilots and plays an exceptional third base. Robbins, a second-year Riverhawk, is the nephew of noted Lewis-Clark State/Umpqua CC head coach Jeremiah Robbins.

Incoming Stanford freshman shortstop Archer Horn is a top candidate for a starting infield job. He can also pitch and play the outfield. Returnees first baseman Russell (.276, 20 RBIs), rising senior infielder Brubaker (.323, 7 doubles) and sophomore shortstop Avery (.267, 28 SB) will also compete for starting positions. Avery played a lot in the outfield last summer and won a NWAC title last spring at LBCC.

Newcomers Ian Draper (Washington) and Joey Marasco (George Fox) will add middle infield depth. Both are coming off strong freshman seasons.

Corner infield is also deep with UC Santa Barbara frosh third baseman Ryan Severns, incoming UCLA freshman Tate Hammond and OSU rising sophomore Josh Nati set to shine at Goss this summer.

Hammond projects at first or third while Nati can play both corner spots and catch. Nati is arguably the top prospect from Australia. Like Knights alumnus and 2021 WCL MVP Travis Bazzana, Nati grew up in Sydney and both were part of the Baseball Pathways programs in Australia. Josh’s brother Jimmy stars for Stanford.

“Nati has some legitimate thump and I’m expecting him to put up some strong numbers,” Knight said.

In the outfield, Max Medina is one of Cal Poly’s top incoming recruits and likely will patrol center field for the Knights. Ethan Porter, a freshman at OSU, is a power bat and can play corner outfield. Segel can run (15 SB) and play multiple positions.

“Kellen should help us with quality innings [pitching] and is a guy in the outfield who can really go get it,” Knight said. “Max Medina can really scoot as well and could be a top of the order left-handed bat.

“Ethan Porter will add some offensive punch to our outfield as well.

“It’s going to be a lot of fun to watch these guys compete for playing time and find ways to collectively get the job done,” Knight added. “There’s lots of versatility in this group, which tends to be a real advantage as the season unfolds.

“I’m excited to get the wheels in motion and find out who we are and who decides to step up and lead!”

The Knights kick off the 2026 season on Thursday, May 21, with their 13th annual Science, Engineering & Art Day, presented by Paventy & Brown Orthodontics. The Goss Stadium matchup will feature the Knights hosting the NW Star Nighthawks in a non-league contest.

Corvallis opens the West Coast League at Kamloops, B.C., on May 29. The WCL home opener is set for 6:35 p.m. on June 10 against the Marion Berries. Get your tickets here.

The complete 2026 roster, which can also be found here, as of April 21:

RIGHT-HANDED PITCHERS: Mark Carpenter (LBCC), Jack Galanida (George Fox), Camden Hartsell (Umpqua CC), Bryce Hill (Stanford in 2026-27), Joshua Jannicetti (UCSB), Matthew Kosderka (Lower Columbia), Graham Learing (Washington in 2026-27), Nick Saelens (Pacific, Ore.), Corden Pettey (Cal Poly), Luke Schoeffler (Linfield), Blake Sebastian (Nebraska), Matthew Sherwood (Pacific Lutheran).

LEFT-HANDED PITCHERS: Quin Dufort (Portland), Trey Morris (Oregon State), Colin Nowaczyk (Nebraska), Landon Salveson (Utah), Ari Sliva (Loyola Marymount in 2026-27), Caleb Sweeney (Loyola Marymount), Mac Zawistoski (Eastern Illinois).

CATCHERS: Dakota Chun (Portland), Xavier Rios (CSUN), Jeremiah Robbins (Umpqua CC), Teagan Scott (Oregon State in 2026-27).

INFIELDERS: Brooks Avery (Portland), Gavin Brubaker (NW Nazarene), Ian Draper (Washington), Tate Hammond (UCLA in 2026-27), Archer Horn (Stanford in 2026-27), Joey Marasco (George Fox), Josh Nati (Oregon State), Maverek Russell (UCLA), Ryan Severns (UC Santa Barbara).

OUTFIELDERS: Max Medina (Cal Poly in 2026-27); Ethan Porter (Oregon State), Kellen Segel (Linn-Benton CC).

10-DAY SIGNEES: RHP Dayne Castillo (Linn-Benton CC), OF Jackson Fera (Linn-Benton CC), 1B/OF Colton Schmokel (Concordia-Nebraska), RHP Cooper Yudishthu (Linn-Benton CC).